Traveling Fools

Saturday, November 18th Depart Lisbon Aboard the ONWARD With no reason to rush, DW took our time getting breakfast and repacking. We left the hotel just after 11 Am and arrived at the cruise terminal at about 11:30. We were among the first there and, after checking our luggage, had to wait until 12:00 before being able to check-in. Check-in was a breeze. They assigned us a group number and section to wait in until the actual boarding took place at 2:00. We burned up the time texting, reading, and visiting the duty-free store. As many had told me here on CC, boarding was quick and painless. However, there was no table near the boarding area to make specialty restaurant reservations. That was to be found on deck 10 inside the Aquilina. I dropped my hand carry off and immediately went to deck 10. There was only one couple in front of me when I got there. I waited 5 or so minutes before it was my turn. I had to book three Chef’s tables and specialty dining to coordinate with White night and the Best of the Best dinner. That might have added a minute or two to my reservation experience. When I stood and turned around to leave, I was stunned at how long the line was. It stretched from the restaurant all the way out to the elevators. That entire goat rope could be eliminated if Azamara implemented on-line restaurant booking and reservations. Regardless that some Azamara veterans’ opinion that it is a breeze to make reservations after boarding; the fact is that it is only a breeze for those first in line. Period! And, oh by the way, having a suite doesn’t mean your butler will be able to secure the dining times you want. Two of our Travelling companions countered the long line and choice instead to have their butler them for them were not able to book their desired dinning times. Next on the agenda was unpacking and enjoying some bubbly while in the process. We then chilled for a while before making our way to the Sunset Veranda where we were supposed to meet some of our CC shipmates. The original plan was to meet there for cocktails for a sail-away. Once there we learned because the airport had been fogged in most of the day, the ship’s departure was delayed until passengers on those diverted aircraft arrived. So, a twilight sail away morphed into a dark evening one; one that conflicted with our, and I’m sure others’, reserved dining time. We met a couple of our CC shipmates, but just in passing. The meeting didn’t take on the life I think many of us expected and everyone moved on to dinner or other venues. On our Roll Call, we had discussed holding a couple of different types of cocktail get togethers, none of which happened. This meant the bottle of French Costco vodka and a bottle of white port bought specifically for one of those gatherings would be going home with me. Too bad, I was really looking forward to the port and cheese gathering. Dinner on our first night was at Prime C. I was full of great expectations. DW ordered Steak Diane and I ordered a filet. The appetizers and salads were very good, as was the dessert. However, our main courses really sucked! Our waiter totally screwed up our orders. I was served a New York Strip that was so gristly I couldn’t finish it and DW was served a cut of beef that didn’t come close to being Steak Diane. We left very disappointed. After dinner, we roamed the ship and checked out the bars and theater and decided to call it a night. Just a quick review of the Enrichment Journey Lisbon Excursion. Our guide Tiago was excellent! Ask a question and a comprehensive answer followed. Transportation was very good and comfortable for the 12 of us. The NH Collection Lisboa Liberdade hotel where we stayed was not as fancy as the two Moroccan hotels, but the rooms were spacious, the service was great, and breakfast was outstanding. If you needed a cab, front desk personnel would give you an estimate charge, go out to the street hail one, and tell them where you wanted to go. Cabs are metered so it is difficult for the drivers to rip you off. For the amount of time we had in Lisbon, I think we visited and saw the most pertinent attractions. On our last full day in Lisbon, the tour operators should have adjusted our pick-up time from 2PM to 12PM. They need to take into consideration how seasonal changes affect sunrise and sunset. The meals included in the Excursion were good to great. I give the Excursion an A…..I would have given them an A+, but for late hour we arrived at Sintra and Cape Cape Roca. Would I book another Enrichment Journey? Yes, and already have two future ones booked. The first is in March 2024. A 27-day excursion, 5 in Rio and 22-days aboard Oceania’s Marina from Rio to Miami with stops along the Brazilian coast, up the Amazon, and onward to Miami with stops at Barbados and Antiqua. The second is in Jan and Feb 2025 to South Africa. 10-days in various locations, including Johannesburg, Victoria Falls, 2-game drives in the Kamapa Game Reserve, and excursions in and around Cape Town. Following that we will board Azamara’s Quest for a 12 night cruise to South African and Mozambique ports.

Friday, November 17th Lisbon/Sintra Today was our last full day in Lisbon. We had the morning off and didn’t start our excursion until 2 o’clock. Our first stop of the day was Queluz Palace. An 18th century royal palace located halfway between Lisbon and Sintra. It is often referred to as the “Portuguese Versailles”. The Palace and its grounds are beautiful. Tiles inside the palace representing countries on the Portuguese Empire. From the Palace we were off to the fabled town of Sintra. As fate would have it, the weather turned foggy and rainy. Our stop in Sintra was therefore brief. Next on the agenda was a trip to Cape Roca, the most western point of continental Europe. Our tour planners did a poor job today scheduling our departure time from the hotel for 2 PM. The sun was fast setting and the weather remained rainy and foggy; a factor that slowed traffic on the two-lane roads we were traveling. We suggested to Tiago we cancel the stop at the Cape, but he explained he had to make it and that our last stop for our farewell dinner had a set time for our arrival. Bottomline, when we reached the Cape, it was dark and still rainy and foggy. The van didn’t stop as it made a U-Turn and headed towards our next stop. Our final stop for the day was in the coastal town of Cascais. The weather had cleared and the walk through the town to our restaurant was scenic and enjoyable. I selected the veal option and enjoyed perhaps the best meal either in Morocco or Lisbon. It was delicious! We arrived back at the hotel at about 10 PM. Several in our group enjoyed a night cap in the lobby bar. Because they weren’t going to pick us up until 2 o’clock the next afternoon, most of us decided to forgo the tour company’s transfer from the hotel to the cruise port in favor of cabbing it on our own.

I think that statement sums it up for most of us!

Thursday, November 16th Lisbon I forgot to mention that upon returning to the hotel yesterday, we observed that Gucci store window had been smashed in a couple of places. DW went into the store and asked what happened. She was told tow teenagers who were part of a crowd of protesters hit the window with hammers. DW said the employees and manager dismissed as teenage mischief. This was a short day with plenty of personal time. After breakfast, DW and I split up. DW met with Arzu, one of our surrogate daughters from Kuwait. Arzu is the daughter of Turkish diplomats and now lives in Lisbon full time. Arzu, took DW on her own specialized tour of Lisbon, including a cruise on the river Tagus. What I saw on land, DW saw from the river. My group drove to the riverfront and visited the Monument to the Discoverers, the Belem Tower, and other riverfront attractions, including a stop at the bakery that produces the Pastel del Belum pastries. It, of course, was crowded with tourists! From the riverfront we crossed the street to visit the Jeronimos Monastery and the very interesting Maritime Museum. For those who didn’t know or forgot, Portugal has a rich history of exploration and navigation, including icons like Henry the Navigator and Vasco de Gama. The Portuguese empire stretched worldwide. Of note is that in 1815, the King of Portugal transferred the Portuguese capital from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro. The following photo is the little royal skiff that transported the royal family from shore to the ship taking them to Brazil. Following our visit to the Maritime Museum, we returned to the riverfront and enjoyed a good lunch at the Doca de Santo’s After lunch, we returned to the hotel. I chilled and napped. DW didn’t return from her visit with Arzu until after 8 PM. We spent the rest of the night avoiding chatter and relaxing.

Point well taken! And, you are 100% correct..they are delicious.

Wednesday, November 15th Lisbon Breakfast in the hotel restaurant was great. Eggs to order, a great coffee machine, fruit and juice, pastries, and even Pastel del Belum pastries! We met at 10 o’clock this morning, an hour later than usual. We were pick up out front of the hotel by 3, 4-person Tuk Tuks for a tour of the city. The driver was a fantastic guide and immediately filled us in about the history of Lisbon. On Nov 1, 1775, Lisbon was destroyed by a catastrophic earthquake followed by three tsunamis, and devastating fires caused by overturned candles lit by city dwellers observing All Saint’s Day. I think most in our group had forgotten, or were unaware that until April 1974, Portugal had suffered forty years of dictatorship. The significance of these two events is the Monumento de Evocacao ao 25 de Abril. The monument is located near the top of Avenue of Liberty at the northwest end of Miradouro Parque Eduardo VII and overlooks the statue honoring the Marquis of Pombalall (credited for rebuilding Lisbon following its destruction in 1775) and provides a view of the Avenue of Liberty all the way to the Tagus River. Our guide informed us the monument symbolizes the rebuilding of both the country following the Carnation Revolution and the rebuilding of Lisbon after its destruction in 1775. During the tour, our guide pointed out several small trolley cars that move people from the Avenue of Liberty through narrow alleys up to neighborhoods adjacent to the Avenue. The guide told us tourists are the primary passengers on those trolleys. We travelled through tiled lined streets and stopped at several vistas offering panoramic views of Lisbon complete with vendors selling cappuccino and fresh, delicious Pastel del Belum pastries. After a hardy lunch, we visited the very interesting National Tile Museum and concluded our visit there by painting our own individual glazed tiles. May sound hokey, but it was both interesting, informative, and fun. DW and I made ours in honor of our 2 youngest grandchildren aged 11 and 14. As you can see, DW has the better artistic genes. After concluding our visit to the National Tile Museum, we returned to our hotel for an evening on our own. I used this free time to grab a taxi to a local shopping center to purchase a charger for my Surface Pro 7….remember, I left home without it and my tablet’s battery died the first day in Morocco.

Tuesday, November 14th Marrakech to Lisbon Nothing was planned for the group this morning, but Mustapha took us for a brief drive through the city. After returning to the hotel, he and I returned to a government store in the souk where I was able to shop for souvenirs to take home to family and friends. The shop was clean and loaded with all kinds of stuff ranging from pricy antiques to inexpensive tee shirts. I had a good idea of what I wanted and vectored in on those items. Two daggers like the one shown below (one for our 11-year-old grandson and one for me), a nifty leather purse and 3-bracelets for our 14-year-old granddaughter, an Aladdin's lamp for DW to add to our bookcase, and 3-salt and pepper holders like the one above. I was rather proud of myself for not exercising self-control and not spending a bundle on some of the antiques that caught my eye. It saved me from a lot of grief from DW; know what I mean Vern!?! Now just a quick review of our Moroccan adventure. From the time we were met at the airport at Casablanca until we were delivered to the airport at Marrakesh, EVERYTHING was well planned, organized, and executed. Mustapha was an excellent guide! The included meals were super good. And the hotels were both 5 stars! The whole group agreed the cooking class and trip to the Berber village were the highlights of our time in Morocco. The only critique the group had was the intensity of the itinerary. Mustapha was bound by contract to ensure we went everywhere and did everything listed in the itinerary. He was not permitted to deviate from it even if we all asked him to. Except for a short break in the evening before we went to dinner, we were on the go from the time we boarded the van in the morning until we finally returned to the hotel at 10:00 P.M. or later. We all wished more free time had been allotted for personal time so that we could have relaxed and enjoyed the amenities of the hotels. Would DW and I book a similar excursion again, yes. By the way, when I reference our ride a being a van it really was a small transport similar in size to what you see shuttling people from hotels and parking lots to airports. They could comfortably seat the 12 of us and our luggage, with room for about 2-more people. At about 1PM we met at the van, our luggage was loaded and we were off to the nearby airport. Check-in was easy, as was passing through security. Our 4:45 P.M. TAP flight to Lisbon was on time and it gave the group a little over two hours to rest. On arrival in Lisbon at 5:45 P.M., we were met by a young lady representative of the tour company. After boarding a full-size bus, we drove to our hotel in the heart of Lisbon. It soon became very clear the young lady didn’t have a clue about the historical buildings and statutes we were passing. I think all of us were deeply worried about the quality of our Lisbon experience. It was about 6:30 when before reached our hotel. The young lady informed us our guide would meet us in the lobby at 7:30 P.M. to escort us to our scheduled dinner and FADO singers’ show. Our hotel was a boutique type hotel, with minimal on-duty staff. That translates into schlepping our own luggage from the street, into the lobby, and up to our rooms. The lobby was small, functional, and home of the hotel’s likewise small bar. Our rooms were spacious, modern, and clean. I don’t think any in our group had a view other than the large square atrium shaft the building was built around. The hotel was bordered by shops, eateries, and an Aldi store on the lower level. One of the shops was a high-end Gucci Store. In fact, the main boulevard in front of the hotel was home to many high-end stores. I know several of us in our group frequented Aldi to buy wine, snacks, and necessities. True to her word, our permanent guide Tiago met us in the lobby promptly at 7:30. After counting heads and introducing himself, he escorted us to our van and we were off to dinner and a show. The venue for dinner and the show was in brick, cellar style building near the river’s waterfront and probably once served as a warehouse or port/wine cellar. There were 4 or 5 lines of tables and chairs perpendicular to the performance area. A simple dinner consisting of wine, crudities, slated cod, and a dessert was served before and during the show. It was the cozy type of place where every employee does a little of everything from cooking to serving to entertaining. The show was OK, but none of us understood Portuguese, we were all tired, and truth be told would have preferred a quick, light dinner and down time. Once again, it was 11 o’clock before we returned to the hotel. I grabbed a double Macallan from the bar and headed off to our room to join DW for a nightcap before calling it a day.

Returned home on Dec 1st from a TA aboard Azamara. The booking was included as part of a land/cruise package and not an intentional booking made by us. Aside from VERY rough seas from Lisbon to Bermuda, we found the cruise to be a good one. We liked the layout and size of our suite (same class as a RS). The balcony was spacious and when seas were calm was a great place to enjoy the sun and seas. With one exception, we found our fellow shipmates to be friendly and congenial. The crew were astonishing and took no time remembering your name and preferences. Our butler and cabin attended were always there for us and did a great job! This was the first cruise we have ever been on where we noticed the CD really doing something and being part of the stage entertainment. While on board entertainment can't be compared to big ship Vegas style reviews, it far surpassed what we experienced on Oceania. Could be because the CD was involved. Food was good to great. The first night out our waiter in Prime C totally screwed up our order. DW didn't get the Steak Dian she ordered and instead of the filet I ordered I was served a grisly New York strip. Not a great first impression, but things improved. The Italian Chef's Table wasn't worth the money paid for it, but the French Chef's table was excellent. We have had two really fantasticate Captains on our cruises. The first was on our TP crossing from Japan to Vancouver in 2017 aboard the Mille. The second was aboard this cruise and he topped the Mille's Captain. He was involved with the passengers and conducted the bridge tour...the most comprehensive one we have taken! Check-in was quick, but boarding (regardless of class of cabin/suite) did not start until 2:00 PM. Boarding was done by class of cabin/suite and loyalty status groups. While able to pay for an upgraded beverage package and bundle of Chef's tables on-line pre-cruise, we were not able to make actual reservations until after boarding. Reservations were made at a single table in one of the specialty restaurants on a first come first serve basis. I went there straight away and there was only one couple in front of me. While making my reservations, I heard more people join the line and was very surprised when I left to find the line extended outside the restaurant to the elevators. We learned from some of our traveling companions that booking reservations through your butler didn't grant any priority in getting your desired seating (Don't know if this was true for PH class suite). Onboard shopping was limited and didn't provide the distraction the number of shops found on larger ships does on sea days. On Azamara, regardless if you have a beverage package, there is no restriction on bringing alcoholic beverages aboard; either at the time of initial boarding or at ports of call. Disembarkation was a breeze. Would we consider Azamara again? Yes. We have another cruise booked with them, again incidental to a land/cruise enrichment journey.

Monday, November 13th Marrakech and the Atlas Mountains After breakfast, we boarded our chariot and drove to the Atlas Mountains for the day. Our first stop was to visit and walk through a local rural district’s Monday Market. This was the real deal and no contrived tourist attraction. A little bit of everything was up for sale, both goods and services. Meat, fish, poultry, a variety of fruits and vegetables, cleaning products, new and used clothing and shoes (some very used), cargo baskets for donkeys, barbers, dentists, etc. Some of the goods were laid on tarps on the ground and others on elevated platforms. It was a bustling market. We were all glad we didn’t spend much time there. The next stop was a small village called Tasga, or in the vicinity of Tasga. Once off the main road we were immediately on a dirt road and remained on it until we left the village and returned to the main road. Because the village did not have a suitable road system, we left our van 100 to 200 yards from the village. We met the mayor of the village, a relatively young man, who led us on a walking tour of the village. It consisted of some very old structures and some newer ones. Many of the village men were in the process of cleaning out manure from what I considered primitive, unfenced stables or corrals. Instead of fencing, villagers used thorny bush branches rung around natural depressions or indentures in the land. The village had electricity and water. The electricity was overhead. Grey water was either captured for further use or left to run off through the village streets. There wasn’t a lot of grey water run-off while we were there, and I doubt there is much at any given time. The village, and to some extent the villagers, are in a time warp. A slow metamorphous from old to new. The villagers and their children seemed content embracing a simple, unsophisticated infrastructure and way of life; yet acceptable to the unavoidable changes 21st century modernization brings. Following the walk through of the village, we went to the mayor’s house where we met his wife and mother. The house consisted of the entry where a plumbed sink was. On one side of the entry was a multi-purpose room used for dining, a family room, or for sleeping quarters. On the other side of the entry was a narrow kitchen. Behind the front area, was a large open, earthen floor atrium. The atrium was connected to the front and back of the house by an 8 foot or higher wall. On the backside of the atrium were two small bedrooms and a water closet containing a recently installed western, flushing toilet. Our group concluded the western style toilet was a stipulation in the contract between the tour company and the village. Because there were so many curious children in and out of the house, we never could figure out the actual size of the family occupying the house. Several ladies in our group taught the kids the “Itsy Bitty Spider” song and hand gestures. And, introduced them to the rock, scissor, paper game. After getting seated in the atrium, we enjoyed a Moroccan tea making experience. I was surprised to learn the family goes through about a kilo of sugar a day for tea, cooking, and baking. The sugar comes in a conical shape and large parts are broken off as needed. It was very interesting to learn the steps they go through to make the tea less bitter to drink, including how they use a long pour to aerate the tea. After enjoying some tea, the mayor’s wife solicited some help from some of the ladies in our group to help her make some bread from scratch. While the bread was rising, a chicken tagine lunch was put on the burners to cook. Once everything was baked or cooked, we were seated in the “dinning room” and enjoyed a great lunch! After lunch, we started a walk through the village to return to our vehicle. On the way we met a group of children who just got out of school and encountered another group of kids on the way to their school session. Several of the children expressed their disappointment that we didn’t bring any paper or pencils with us for their school. This is something our guides could have given us a heads when we arrived in Marrakech and we could have collectively bought some school supplies. I must note that we were asked not to give money, treats, or gifts to the children as the village elders did not want to transform them into a mob of kids with their hands out every time foreign visitors passed through their village. The same was asked of us regarding tipping our hosts. Except for heavy afternoon traffic, the drive back to Marrakech was uneventful. We arrived back at the hotel with time to rest and freshen up before meeting for our final dinner. For dinner we returned to Marrakesh’s bazar and the Restaurant Dar Mola. Once you enter the restaurant you leave the hustle bustle and dirty streets of the bazar behind. Musicians greet you as you are escorted to your table. Our table was located right next to a beautifully tiled pool that was crystal clear. The meal was excellent and DW and I discovered a salt and pepper holder that we would buy several of the next day for souvenirs for our daughter and neighbors. This was our last night in Morocco and after dinner we returned to our hotel to pack and call it a night.

No advise given One of the places I haven't been to is New Zealand, but I am very familiar with Customs operations. Before the ship even arrives at a Port of Call, Customs authorities know who is on board and the names of all those aboard have been run through their databases. This helps them narrow down who on board might require further scrutiny. Once the ship has been cleared, the bulk of Customs authorities meeting the ship will have left to perform other duties. The goat rope and rush of hundreds of passengers disembarking a cruise ship for their individual shore excursions makes individual inspection of those passengers unrealistic and for all intensive purposes impossible. It also impedes the use of K9s. The K9s will be used at the end of the cruise to sniff the luggage that has been unloaded and organized for retrieval by passengers after they have been cleared to disembark. Having actually spent a great deal of time in Europe and a modest amount of time in the UK, I have witnessed locals and tourists packing loafs of bread, cold cuts and cheeses, different beverages including wine and picnicking. It is a common thing to do and unless they are consuming in a restaurant or inside an museum or other similar attraction, I am doubtful anyone would find it disrespectful. Regarding context, I am pretty sure the sandwiches packed by @Host Jazzbeau DW is intended to be consumed on the excursion's bus. In which case other passengers would probably think, "Gee, I wish I had done that." We all are adults; know the rules and consequences for breaking them. In this case if confronted by Customs they likely be told to dispose of it in the nearby trash can.

Sunday, November 12th Marrakech The hotel’s breakfast buffet was superb. We left the hotel at 9 for a cooking class at the La Maison Arabe. Once there we didn’t burn any unnecessary sunlight; class started immediately. Each of us in our group manned our own cooking station. Guided by seasoned instructors, we received step by step, hands on guidance on how to prepare the entire meal. We each prepared an individual chicken meal that was cooked in a Moroccan Tajine. The food didn’t go to waste as it was what we ate for lunch. In addition to receiving a certificate of accomplishment, we each were awarded our individual tajine to take home. It was both fun and a true learning experience. After lunch we returned to the hotel where DW and another couple decided to stay and chill while the rest of us set out on our afternoon excursion. We left the hotel in horse drawn carriages and were transported to the Majorelle Garden created by Jacques Majorelle and which is adjacent to the former house of Yves Saint Laurent. The house is now a museum. Once done there we rode back to the souk where we spent the remaining half the afternoon backtracking through its dark and crowded alleys and byways. One of our stops was the Le Jardin Secret, a hidden gem located in the middle of the souk. It turned into a very exhausting afternoon. Once we returned to the hotel, we had enough time to clean up and take a nap before meeting again for an unscheduled group dinner. It was a long, tiring day and sleep was fast to come.

Food/Candy from a Street Vendor...should have know better! The food we had in restaurants on the land journey was good to great and never gave anyone in the group any problems.

Saturday, November 11th Casablanca to Marrakech The logistics of moving our luggage from individual rooms to our comfortable van was well organized and after breakfast we loaded up and left for Marrakech. Although bowel issues kept DW up for part of the night, she felt good enough to have some breakfast. Traveling to Marrakech wasn’t an option. We all had to make the trip. After breakfast, we went back to our room to gather our things and brush our teeth. While in the room, I suddenly felt flushed and made it to the toilet in time to upchuck. I didn’t lose breakfast and what came up was very acidic, leading me to think it was caused by too much morning coffee. DW was still experiencing bowel issues. Our van got a late start because another member of the group had also experienced some stomach distress and was slow getting to the van. He wanted the back row in case he needed to lay down. Turned out he wasn’t as bad off as he thought he would be. The drive was problem free and the countryside interesting. We passed by rich farmland, olive orchards and arid, high desert landscape. En route we stopped at a clean and well stocked service plaza. Ironically it had a Mexican theme. We all found Marrakech to be clean, vibrant, and beautiful. We arrived ahead of schedule and looked for a place to have lunch. We couldn’t find one that accepted credit cards, so we decided to go to the hotel early, have lunch there, and then continue the day’s activities after checking in. Our hotel was the Sofitel-Marrakech. It is a 5-star hotel and beautiful property! The only thing we all had in common was they assigned us rooms in the wing furthest from the lobby. It was a hike to reach them, and there weren’t any shortcuts to reach them. After checking in and tidying up, we headed out on our afternoon adventure. This afternoon’s journey took us to the city’s “hidden side”. This translated into an immersive journey into Marrakech’s artisan quarters located within its very active and busy souk. The pathways were shadowy and crowded with people walking in both directions often making way for passing motorcycles. The 12 of us in our group often got strung out. About 45 minutes into the back alleys of the souk, our travel companion who felt sick before we left Casablanca became nauseous and couldn’t continue. He and his wife were transported back to the hotel in a tuk-tuk. One other traveling companion and I wanted to return too, but we were told the tuk-tuk could only transport two people. Once we resumed our trek, I only made it about 50 meters before I had to find a place next to the wall to throw up. Thankfully, DW had a package of wet wipes in her bag. We didn’t get much further when our other traveling companion also got sick. While for me it was a one and done experience, David continued to be ill through the remaining part of the afternoon. We determined later the common denominator was the nougat we all three bought the afternoon of our arrival in Morocco. That evening dinner was a “1001 Nights” dinner show featuring Moroccan food and entertainers. DW went and thoroughly enjoyed herself. I was wiped out and tired and remained at the hotel where I slept soundly and deeply.

Had problems loading photos last night let me try again: Ricks Cafe: Appetizers: Maine Course: Wine Desert

Friday, November 10th Casablanca and Rabat Woke up to find DW had been up most of the night with bowel problems. Unfortunately, my traveling supply of Imodium had been used up, so she opted to stay at the hotel and forgo the day’s activities in Casablanca and Morocco’s capital Rabat. One of our traveling companions had some Imodium that she shared with us, but DW thought it would be best if she stayed behind. The hotel’s breakfast buffet was excellent. I took some tea and coffee up to DW to sip on through the morning. The timing for our visit to the Hassan II Mosque today was governed by morning prayer times. This mosque is the third largest mosque in the world. It sits on the coastline and was built on reclaimed bay land. It is impressively large but other than being on the coast, I found it didn’t have the character so many other mosques I have visited have. From the mosque, we drove out of Casablanca towards the capital Rabat. It took us close to an hour to reach Rabat. We were all impressed with how modern and clean it was. In Rabat, we first visited the Mohamad V Mausoleum and medieval Hassan Tower. It was an impressive stop with members of the Royal Guard manning different posts all wearing period era uniforms. Our next stop was lunch at a seafood restaurant on the river in a very modern marina. The Bently SUV in the parking lot told us all we needed to know about who dinned there. That said, none of us who ordered it were very keen on the fish option. Following lunch, we were off to the old walled, fortified town of Kasbah Oudaya from which grew into the city now known as Rabat. The walled town is also home of the 17th century royal residence and its beautiful gardens. Inside the walls it was very clean, quiet, and peaceful. There were a couple of shops near the exit, lots of cats, and some beautiful passageways lined with what must have been elegant apartments. From the old walled fortress, we drove downtown to visit the museum of Moroccan Contemporary Art. Our last stop in Rabat was the grounds of the Royal Palace. Because it was the Muslim day of worship, there wasn’t much going on inside the grounds and we were limited to how close we could get to the entry of the Royal Palace itself. None of us were able to take any photographs of value, so in certain respects it was a wasted stop. From Rabat we returned to Casablanca. I slept most of the way back and have no clue what was seen or talked about. Dinner was on our own and DW and I had made reservations at Rick’s Café. We arrived there at 9 and only two tables were occupied. Late dinners are the rule in Morocco and the locals didn’t start filtering in until after 10. As were finishing our meal, the locals were beginning to arrive. For dinner, we both ordered cocktails, the Prawn Salad, Lamb Chops, a special desert, and a bottle of dry white Moroccan wine. The food was very good and well presented. The wine was excellent. Considering the number of guests being served, the service was painfully slow. There was some activity in the upstairs bar and the people we saw coming to either leave or use the facilities were dressed like slobs and failed to meet the touted dress code. Because it was the Muslim holy day, we were told the piano player had the night off. Instead, there were two guitarists who started playing about the time we were ready to leave. We both agreed it was worth the experience but would recommend to anyone considering visiting Rick’s Café to go there for lunch or just to grab a cocktail or beer.

You can't really appreciate the Haven "Experience" aboard a ship that doesn't have the full blown Haven, or if you have booked an aft Haven suite on a ship that does. Been there done that. However, on the smaller ships, Cagney's turns into the Haven restaurant for breakfast and on a port intensive cruise DW and I (sans grandchildren) found it more pleasurable to have breakfast there than have it served in our suite. In order to enjoy Haven amenities when booked in an aft suite that has the full Haven, you have to traverse the full length of the ship and actually go to the Haven.

Hi David, What a ride that trip was!!! I think the ship must have sold all their OTC sea sick remedies. I saw more than a couple of shipmates wearing bands on each wrist. They did post a CC meeting in the daily paper. I think it was scheduled either the first or second day. I didn't see the notice until the day after it was scheduled. When in March will you be in Rio? Joe

We have sailed aboard the Epic before in a Haven suite. It was a great experience. Mr. Maxy was our butler...he was the greatest!

Less than a month to go before me, DW, DD, DSIL, DGS, and DGD board the Epic's Haven for a week of fun.

Following all the hijackings in the middle east in 1970, President Nixon authorized the recruitment of a cadre of Sky Marshals. I was one of them. I boarded more flights that I can remember sans a metal detector and up those portable stairways. Jetways were only found in the largest, truly international airports. Very true, there was more legroom in Coach back then. AND, time permitting, there was a meal service. I can remember Hugh's Air West had a wine tasting campaign on their shorter hops. They handed out baskets with fruit, crackers, cheese, and a small bottle of wine. The "Stewardess" would then read a script extolling the virtues of the wine and walking passengers through the wine tasting experience. My partner and I would stash the bottles of wine away for later consumption. As a Sky Marshal, I spent half of my time riding in the front of the bus and half riding in the back. I learned to like the front of the bus. However, when I was flying on my dime it was hard enough to pay for coach fare let alone 1st class. Times have changed and through a compellation of factors so has our financial status. As DW and I have grown older, old wounds and injuries have remanifested themselves and sitting for an extended time in economy for me is pure torture! Several years ago we made a decision that the price for flying business class (the new first class) on any extended flight was going to be factored into the cost of the trip. While our children may think we are spending too much on ourselves. We spoiled them has children and teens and spend on them now as needed; it is time DW and I spoil ourselves.

What I meant to say is: 1. I don't support a ban. It is unnecessary and wouldn't be enforced. 2. A friendly, printed reminder requesting guests to restrict their phone usage to their cabins, or a reminder to guests to exercise proper phone decorum is all that is needed. Amelia Island does have its charm and it is vibrant all year long, unlike St. Simons Island where it is active from Memorial Weekend to Labor Day and, with exception of the Georgia/Florida weekend, then turns into a ghost town

Thursday, November 9th Casablanca Awoke and ordered breakfast. Unlike last night’s great meal, both of our omelets were dry. The coffee was good. Would we fly Air Moroc again? The answer is Yes. We landed on time and quickly taxied to our parking spot (no gate, no jet way). Exited via stairs onto a waiting van and were whisked to the International Arrivals Terminal. Clearing Immigration and Customs was a breeze and took less than 10 minutes. The company rep for our Moroccan tours was waiting for us in the reception area. There were 6 couples in the tour group, two of them had arrived the day before. The other four of us were all on the same flight and as soon as we had cleared arrival formalities, we boarded the bus and headed to the hotel to check in and drop off our bags. En route to the hotel, Mustapha (his spelling), our guide while in Morocco, suggested we freshen up and offered to take us on an unscheduled orientation tour of Casablanca. Our hotel, the Hyatt regency Casablanca, seemed to be in mid-town Casablanca. Entry and exit were regulated by hotel security personnel who operated tall gates into and out of the property. The hotel and facilities were in excellent condition and the rooms spacious. Our room looked out over the front. After getting settled in, we headed out for our “orientation” tour. The tour actually took about 3 hours. We drove by the Hassan II Mosque and had a photo op across the bay from it. Tomorrow we will go inside for a tour. The remainder of the tour took us by the old walled part of the city and the grand souk. We stopped at Casablanca’s Catholic church and spent some time inside it. In addition to the Catholic Church, we also passed by a Synagogue. Our guide told us that people in Morocco are very tolerant of other religions. We made a couple of other stops and walked around getting a feel for the city. We visited the city’s coastline and saw some surfers out doing their thing. In general Casablanca is a vibrant, modern city. I don’t know if overcast skies influenced me, but the city at times seemed dark and somewhat dirty. Covid really hurt Morocco’s tourist industry and may of Casablanca’s beachside restaurants, resorts, stores were in the process of reopening. Before returning to the hotel, three of us couples bought some tasty nougat from a street vendor our guide seemed to know. We returned to the hotel and had enough time to wash up before we headed out to our welcome dinner. Our group had our own alcove in the busy restaurant and were served a variety of Moroccan food and some very good Moroccan wine. Towards the end of our meal, the belly dancers started their show and ended up in our alcove prompting (after some encouragement) one of the guys in our group to join in with the dancer. After dinner, we returned to the hotel for some much-needed sleep.

Hi Texter, I didn't realize how far behind the power curve this extended trip put me. Just catching up on things and then decorating the house and yard has sapped me....but I think I am finally catching up.

No, I would not support a ban. I would encourage X, and other lines, including something like the above in the bundle of papers found in your cabin at time of boarding and in the daily activity repost.

When you check in they give you a sticker with a number on it designating what group you board with. We were in the first group to board and I believe there were loyalty members in that group. There was no pre-allocated time. No preference is given when checking in, only for boarding. We were in a suite. Check-in and boarding, at least for us, was a non-stress activity. The only post boarding issue we encountered was booking restaurant reservations. If you aren't one of the first four or five people to get to the reservation desk, expect to wait in line for approximately 15-20 minutes for every person in front of you....that is if they only have one reservation desk open, as was the case with us.